Amplified Events

1. Amplified Events Exploiting Technologies to Enhance the Impact and Learning at Events What Is An Amplified Event? • An amplified event exploits various technologies in order to extend the reach of an event. This can include: • Enhancing discussions at the event through use of technologies such as Twitter. • Enhancing access to talks to remote audiences through video or audio streaming. • “Time-shifting” access to resources. Case Study: IWMW 2010 • UKOLN have provided amplification of its IWMW event since 2005. The IWMW 2010 event featured: • Live video streaming of the plenary talks. • Over 3,00 tweets from over 270 users using the #iwmw10 Twitter hashtag (there were ~170 attendees). • A ‘Twitter wall’ providing a display of event tweets near the registration desk. • An official ‘event amplifier’ summarising plenary talks on Twitter and posting summaries on the event blog. • An online barcamp enabling the remote audience to participants in a discussion session. • A summary of the Twitter statistics is illustrated below. Captioning Videos using Twitter The increasing use of Twitter at events led to development of iTitle: a Twitter captioning service hosted by RSC Scotland North and East. Tweets posted at an event are extracted from the Twapper Keeper archiving service and converted into a caption file format which can be replayed with audio or video clips. This allows users to replay conference sessions augmented with the original back channel communication. At UKOLN’s IWMW 2010 event videos of plenary talks were synched with the #iwmw10 Twitter archive using iTitle as illustrated. Twitter captioning using iTitle Summarizr Statistics for the IWMW 2010 Event Key Technologies People Issues • When organising an amplified event you need to consider various non-technical issues such as: • The purposes of the event amplification. • Concerns that use of devices may be considered rude or distracting to speakers and others. • Concerns that inappropriate tweets may cause offence. • An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) can help establish appropriate behaviour. A ‘quiet zone’ could be provided as a device-free area. Evaluation can provide feedback for planning future amplified events. • Key technologies which can be used to provide amplified events include: • Video and audio streaming: to amplify events to remote audience. • Video and audio recording: to provide ’time-shifting’. • Real-time communications channels: to support discussions at the event and with remote audiences. • Resource-sharing services: to share resources such as slides, bookmarks, etc. • Archiving services: to keep a record of the resources and discussions. Can use of devices at event be distracting? Is such use rude? JISC-Funded Greening Events II Projects • UKOLN is supporting ILRT in the JISC-funded Greening Events II project which builds on ILRT’s Greening Events project, funded under the JISC Greening ICT programme. • UKOLN’s work involves: • Gathering further evidence on approaches to the provision of amplified events and feedback from various stakeholders. • Publishing a report on best practices. • The report will be made available under a Creative Commons licence. Further Information Further information about amplified events is available at:<http://bit.ly/jisc11-amplified-events>. 07-02-2011